Hank
Leung

Overview

Hank has a broad range of experience in intellectual property and technology law.

Hank’s focus is intellectual property law and he has particular experience in relation to patent rights. He regularly advises clients on all aspects of identification, protection, registration and enforcement of their IP rights. Before joining Bird & Bird he previously trained as a patent agent at one of the top IP firms in Canada, as well as at the Hong Kong branch of a leading UK patent firm.

In addition, Hank also advises clients on legal issues relating to the commercialisation of IP/IT assets including management of IP portfolios, preparation of licensing agreements, and drafting and negotiating IT outsourcing agreements. He also has experience conducting multi-jurisdictional reviews of data privacy / data retention compliance surveys, and advising on Hong Kong and PRC data privacy regulations.

Hank graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering (Honours) and also holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Queen’s University in Canada. He is admitted as a solicitor in Hong Kong and in Ontario Canada.

On 23rd June the UK voted to leave the European Union ("Brexit"). This decision will continue to have a significant effect on the IP/IT market which has been governed by so many EU Regulations and Directives in the past (albeit not exclusively) that intricately bound the UK to the EU.

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has held that it is an infringement of copyright to sell a physical back-up copy of a software program, even if the original physical copy has been damaged, lost or destroyed.

International law firm Bird & Bird is advising the Micro:bit Educational Foundation on future plans for the successful digital education tool, the micro:bit, launched earlier this year by Foundation member, BBC Learning. The firm advised pro bono on setting up a Not-For-Profit organisation, and ensuring it has the rights in place to take the micro:bit product forward.

Some of the South East's most visionary digital companies are today unveiled in the inaugural 'Digital Innovators Power List', created by international law firm Bird & Bird and London-based news brand City A.M.

Trade marks in China are generally awarded on a “first to file” basis, resulting in floods of applications, often mimicking foreign brands that have yet to expand into the Chinese market. According to the 2012 Annual Development Report issued by the China Trade Mark Office 1,648 million trade mark applications were accepted in 2012 – over double that of the US – making China the top filing destination in the world for 11 years running.